The accident was caused by a jump in gas pressure

MOSCOW, November 16. /TASS/. A malfunction at the gas distribution station in Moscow’s central west district caused fire in 15 apartments in 11 multi-storey houses, deputy mayor of Moscow Pyotr Biryukov said on Sunday.

The accident was caused by a jump in gas pressure.

“Such gas was supplied to 11 residential houses. In 15 apartments, a surge of flame in gas cookers caused fire. No one was hurt,” he said.

He promised that the city authorities would repair the fire affected apartments at their expenses.

The fires, according to the Russian emergencies ministry, were promptly put out.

Gas supplies have been suspended to 26 houses hooked up to the local gas mains. Electricity supplies have not been cut.

Meanwhile, the Russian Investigations Committee’s Moscow department has opened a pre-investigation check into the accident.

“In the past 45 days, planned maintenance works have been held at the local gas distributing station. Gas to the district was supplied from another station. A technical commission will probe into the accident,” a spokesperson for the department told TASS.